I suppose, theoretically, that is possible. But hasn't Apple created a "broad-compatibility" website that lets everyone (with an Apple device) become a potential client? The thing that strikes me about the app store is how reasonable are the apps and the content they provide. As I mentioned above, The Washington Post is charging $1.99 for a years subscription. How much content is provided remains to me seen but compare that to a years subscription to the hard copy. Fluent News (another app) charges the same for a three month subscription for news from various sources and various web sites. Again, I believe this is the future.

Nope. A few million users "broad compatibility" do not make.

Plus, yeah, the apps on the iPhone would have to be cheap, because most users would not pay any significant amount to read a paper or a magazine on a 3" screen. I don't think publishers have the same thing in mind for the iPad.